Comments on: do you?

By: Eccentric Idiom

Eccentric Idiom — Thu, 26 May 2011 01:57:57 +0000

here’s a bluebird in my heart that…

here’s a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out but I’m too tough for him, I say, stay in there, I’m not going to let anybody see you. there’s a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out but I pur whiskey on him and inhale cigarette smoke and the …

By: bootch

bootch — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 02:18:56 +0000

Love the poem, love the Buk, have my own fair share of Buk art on my skin. the intent is great but love the fact this guy has to walk around answering the question “do you swallow”
such irony

By: lies

lies — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 01:18:06 +0000

i guess the whole poem is about his homosexuality and how he has to hide it. and the tattoo serves to ask the question to another gay person.

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 11:39:22 +0000

I feel sorry for this guy…people will be asking him if he swallows for the rest of his life! lol

By: thrawn82

thrawn82 — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 07:05:27 +0000

Hmm well, it appears to be the traditional nautical design of a swallow (good luck to sailors because they return home every year) and differentiated from a bluebird by the yellow/white leading edge of the wing. It seems better interpreted “I swallow, Do you?” unless he has something complimentary on the other side. That said, the poem is beautiful and awesome.

By: satan

satan — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 04:45:08 +0000

do you swallow.. hahaha. i like that. i hope thats the real meaning, and not some gay emo poem bullshit

By: eliza

eliza — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:25:55 +0000

@Selig- i am confused as well with the comments by people who read right to left.
Amazing tattoo. the Bukowski inspired ones always seem to work so well.

By: Selig

Selig — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:19:14 +0000

swallow do you?

By: Jake

Jake — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:39:50 +0000

I read it as “do you swallow” too. Might have wanted to clarify a bit…hilarious anyway.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:02:29 +0000

do you swallow?

that’s some funny shit.

I like the tattoo, though.

By: Tricia

Tricia — Tue, 19 May 2009 00:16:19 +0000

I bought my first Bukowski book about five years ago and have been fairly obsessed since. This may be the absolute coolest tattoo I’ve seen in my life.

By: michelle

michelle — Mon, 11 May 2009 06:00:34 +0000

when i saw this-my heart skipped! i have the same tattoo-well i have a large bluebird with the line “there’s a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out”. the first time i read that poem-almost 5 years now-it really resonated within me-my interpetation anyway.i was in such a shitty place in my life-and that poem meant so much :) love this

By: Jen

Jen — Mon, 04 May 2009 12:22:42 +0000

@curious – as wrong as your comment may be, it did make me laugh.

By: craig

craig — Sun, 03 May 2009 22:13:32 +0000

bluebirds have the yellow tips on their wings and breast. maybe it’s just not a detailed shot but i know enough about ornithology to know that’s a bluebird.

By: curious

curious — Sun, 03 May 2009 16:47:53 +0000

Umm, the bird in the tattoo is a swallow, not a bluebird. So it means “Do you swallow?”

By: marla

marla — Sat, 02 May 2009 21:38:18 +0000

i love this tattoo, i adore bukowski and all of his work. i just recently got his signature tattooed on my shoulder. im glad to see others passionate about him.